U'khand: BJP mounts pressure on Cong demanding trust vote

March 28, 2012 15:29 IST

The main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party in Uttarakhand on Wednesday mounted pressure on Congress-led Vijay Bahuguna government to seek a trust vote forcing repeated adjournments of the Assembly and lodging a protest before Governor Margaret Alva on the issue.

As soon as the house assembled for the day, BJP members led by former Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and Harbans Kapoor were on their feet demanding the state government bring a trust vote to prove its majority on the floor of the house.

Criticising the government's decision not to bring a separate vote of confidence in the house, the BJP members alleged that the government is flouting the democratic norms, as it is not sure that it would be able to sail through the trust vote.

The BJP members said whenever the ruling party failed to touch the mark of majority, a trust vote is mandatory. "This is a normal practice. It has happened earlier also at least 27 times at the centre and 17 times in the Uttar Pradesh," claimed Kapoor, a BJP MLA and former Speaker.

Later, the BJP members trooped into the well to press for their demand and shouted slogans against the government ignoring repeated pleas from the Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal. As the din continued, Kunjwal adjourned the house first till 1137 hrs and then 1220 hrs.

Earlier, a five-member BJP MLAs delegation comprising state President Bishan Singh Chufal, Madan Kaushik, Banshidhar Bhagat, Kapoor and Nishank went to Rajbhavan and submitted a memorandum on the issue to lodge their protest before the governor.

"We have requested the governor to direct the state government to bring a trust vote and prove its majority on the floor of the house within a specified time frame," said Kaushik. He claimed that the governor gave a patient hearing to them and assured them that she would look into the issue.